Workshop informative for emergency personnel

Monday

May 6, 2013 at 1:00 PM

By Andy Barrand

abarrand@hillsdale.net

HILLSDALE — Emergency personnel, firefighters and law enforcement officers from around Hillsdale County received some much needed training Wednesday during one of three workshops sponsored by the Hillsdale County ISD and Hillsdale City Police.

Scott Schuelke, a representative with the Autism Alliance of Michigan presented each of the two hour workshops to teach emergency personnel how to deal with autistic children and adults. Schuelke is a retired sergeant with the Lansing Police Department.

Schuelke guaranteed those in attendance that if they haven’t responded to a call with an autistic person they would sooner or later.

Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States and occurs in one out of every 88 U.S. births. Michigan has almost 16,000 children in public schools that have been assessed with autism. In 2007 the state had the fifth largest autistic population.

Hillsdale Public Safety Director Chris Gutowski said he believes the two hour training was very beneficial for his officers.

“I hope they can take these skills out to the street,” he said. “The knowledge they received is well worth the time.”

During the workshop Schuelke took emergency personnel through several different situations, teaching them how to deal with each situation when coming in contact with an autistic person or child.

One thing he stressed throughout the workshop was, “everybody with autism is different.”

“What may work with one may not work with another,” he said.

Schuelke and other representatives with the Autism Alliance of Michigan have been working with communities around the state on the issue. Over 5,000 police, fire and emergency personnel have attended the workshop throughout the state.

“It is going really well,” he said.

Many of the communities that Schuelke has been working with have held informational night for parents of autistic children. During the informational nights parents and children can meet with local emergency personnel and get to know them.

He stressed that sometimes this could be the difference when it comes to dealing with a traumatic situation and an autistic individual.

“If an autistic child gets to know the officers in uniform they can begin to trust you,” he said. “If those families live in your neighborhood stop by and gain the trust of the children.”

The Autism Alliance of Michigan has also developed an autism profile and emergency contact form that can be given to dispatch officers so information will be readily available in case of an emergency. The information can be put in the computer and when a call comes in to a residence with an autistic child the officers will be notified. The form also features a picture of the child for identification purposes.

There are also window clings and magnets available that families can put on the windows of their house to warn personnel.

Gutowski said he is going to work with representatives from the Hillsdale ISD to set up an informational night.

In emergency situations Schuelke stressed that autistic children may become combative.

“The children’s house and their room is their safe zone,” he said. “In rescuing a child with autism if you can wrap them in their sheets it will be more comforting to them.”

With every case and situation being different he said emergency personnel are going to have to assess every situation and how to deal with it.

“You have to change your mindset when you enter a house with an autistic child,” he said.

Schuelke said one of the most important things in dealing with a situation with an autistic subject is to “be patient.”

For more information visit www.autismallianceofmichigan.org or on Facebook at autismallianceofmichigan.